New cabinet formed in Lebanon

BEIRUT, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- A new government led by new prime minister Tammam Salam was formed in Lebanon on Saturday, after a 10-month deadlock.

According to a decree signed by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Samir Mokbel has been appointed as defense minister and vice PM, Gebran Bassil as minister of foreign affairs, Nouhad Machnouk as minister of interior, Ali Hassan Khalil as minister of finance, General Asharaf Rifi as minister of justice and Sejaan Qazzi as minister of labor.

The cabinet announcement was the result of a compromise reached by the pro-Syrian March 8 camp and the opposition March 14 camp and witnessed a complete shuffle in the portfolios.

PM Salam, born in 1945, is a centrist politician whose father was a long time prime minister, and he is considered close to former prime minister Saad Hariri.